Rotary valve for retorts



Dec. 23, 1941 THOMAS ROTARY VALVE FQR RETORTS Filed Oqt. 31, 1939'M/Vf/VTOP L 5: THOMAS v 1 ATTOAMEV Patented Dec. 23, 1941 orrso srarssPATEN F E E.

3 Claims.

This invention relates to canning machinery and the like andparticularly pertains to a rotary valve for retorts.

In the operation of various machines embodying the use of a retort inwhich it is desirable to introduce articles into the retort and toWithdraw them therefrom without disturbing the fiuid pressure existingwithin the retort, such for example as in connection with cookingmachinery as disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 278,627,entitled Cooker, filed June 12, 1939, a valve is used to permit cans offood to be introduced into the retort and to be Withdrawn therefrom, andduring the intermediate interval the cans are subjected to acookingaction produced by steam under pressure. In such equip ment thefluid pressure within the retort is materially greater than that of theatmosphere, and it is necessary therefore to provide valves throughwhich the cans of material may pass and within which a seal will becreated tending to progressively decreasethe degree of pressure from theinterior of the retort to the exterior thereof, and to seal the retortso that there will not be any loss of steam pressure as thecans passthrough the valves and also to insure that heat is retained within thestructure in the event heat is used. It is the principal object of thepresent invention, therefore, to provide a rotary valve structuremounted over and in communication with induction or eduction passagewaysof a closed compartment whereby articles may be introduced into thecompartment and withdrawn without affecting the condition existingwithin the compartment Whether it be at positive or negative pressurewith relation to the surrounding atmosphere, and to furthermoreprogressively control the pressure and temperature prevailing within thevalves, which valves may be easily assembled and effectively packed toprevent any fluid leakage.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a cylindricalhousing within which a rotary conveyor is placed, said conveyor beingformed with a central hub and a plurality of radially disposed bladesbetween which articles may be placed and by which the space within thehousing will be sub-divided into a plurality of moving compartments, thestructure further contemplating means whereby the fluid pressureexisting within the various compartments may be variably controlled in amanner to insure that atmospheric pressure the transfer of cans may l6surrounded by a wall ll.

circumscribed by the housing l2. emanate from a central hub 22 mountedupon be brought about without affecting said pres- :sures.

The invention is illustrated by Way of example in the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Figure l is a view in side elevation indicating a possible applicationof the present invention.

Fig, 2 is an enlarged view in side elevation indicating the constructionof the device.

'3 is an enlarged view in section through the structure as seen on theline 3-3 of Fig. 2 disclosing in detail the packing arrangement.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, It indicates a retort uponwhich valves H are mounted. The valve structure!!! disposed at the topof the retort in the present case is for the purpose of introducing cansinto the retort. The

valve structure ll at the bottom of the retort is for the purpose ofwithdrawing cans therefrom. These valvestructures are of the sameconstruction, and Figs. 2 and 3 indicate their details. The valvesinclude an outer substantially cylindrical wall It having an opening I 3therethrough. This opening is circumscribed by a tubular member M whichprovides a throat through which cans may pass from a runway l5. It is tobe understood that the structure is of such a construction and design asto permit either a single can to pass through the throat M or aplurality of cans. At substantially the diametrically opposite side ofthe housing I? is a throat As shown particularly in Fig. 3 of thedrawing the opposite marginal edges of the housing It are formed withannular flanges It and I9 which extend out- I wardly. The width of thehousing i2 is greater than that of blades 2%} of the rotor 2| which isThe blades 23 ashaft- 23. The shaft 23 may be driven in any suitablemanner, such for example as by the worm wheel 24 and a worm gear 25 inmesh therewith, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. Disposed upon theshaft 23 and at opposite sides of the rotary conveyor iii are conveyorend plates 26 and 27. These plates fit against the opposite parallelsides of the blades 29 and are secured to them and the hub so that theentire structure on the shaft rotates as a unit. The circumferentialedges of the plates 26 and 21 of the conveyor 2i have laterallyextending flanges 28 therearound. These flanges are formed with acircumferential lip 29. The lip is offset from the body of each of theend plates of the conveyor and thereby produces an angu- "lar recess 38which is represented by a circumferential face 3| and a flat face 32normal to the body of the plate. The width of the blades 20 of therotary conveyor are substantially the same as the width of the spacebetween end plates 26 and 2'! within the cylindrical housing l2. Thecircumferential face 3| of the two end plates 26 and 2'! occur oppositethe ends of the cylindrical housing l2, the faces 3| substantiallyaligning with the inner bore of the housing and the faces 32 lying inspaced planes at opposite ends of the housing. When so fitted the faces32 are spaced from end faces 33 of the housing so that an annularpacking member 34 may be disposed in this space to seal the same. Theouter diameters of the flanges |8 on the housing and the outsidediameter of the portions 29 of the end plates of the rotary conveyoragree. This makes it possible to place a split pressure ring 34' aroundthe packing, cap screws 29 exert pressure on the rings to pack the jointtightly.

Mounted over the ends of the end walls 26 and 21 are housing end walls35 which provide an outer covering for the ends of the housing l2 andcause a heat insulating space 36 to occur between the end walls 26 and21 of the conveyor 2| and the ends of the housing. The housing end Wallsare formed with a central hub portion 37 which has a threaded bore 38therein to receive a stufiing gland 39. The shaft 23 extends through thestufling glands 39 at opposite sides of the machine. The outer edges ofthe housing end members 35 are fitted with lateral flanges 43. The outerdiameters of the housing ends are the same as the outer diameters of theend walls of the conveyor and the housing flanges. Thes elements arecircumscribed by bands 4| which tend to bind all of the members togetherand to hold them assembled and fluidtight by the action of the bolts 46'and capscrews [8.

Mounted on the end of each of the blades 20 is a packing element 42preferably formed of material such as used in making steam packing andthe like, and which material rubs against the inner circumferential faceof the housing l2 and forms a fluid seal therewith whereby thecompartment 43 occurring between adjacent blades 20 will besubstantially fluid-tight.

Clamping plates 42 hold the packing in position on the blades. In orderto modify the pressures and temperatures existing in the variouscompartments 43 formed by the rotor and its housing fluid pipes 44 and45 are employed. These pipes extend from points on one side of the rotorvalve to points on the opposite sides and communicate with the interiorof the housing. The pipes are spaced apart a distance slightly greaterthan the maximum width of the compartments 43 occurring between theblades 23. In the drawing it will be seen that the pipes 44 and 45establish communication between the side wall of the housing occurringon one side of the valve with relation to the inlet and outlet ports andthat the opposite ends of the pipes communicate with the housing on thediametrically opposite side of the valve.

In operation of the present invention the valve structure is assembledas here shown. It will be assumed that in describing the valve, asillustrated in Fig. 2, the opening I3 is an inlet opening and that theopening I6 is an outlet opening. It will further be assumed that thetubular wall of the throat communicates with the retort I and that thefluid within the retort I0 is under a different pressure thanatmospheric pressure. It may also be possible that differenttemperatures prevail. So far as the invention is concerned this pressuremay be either positive or negative and will in any event create adifferential in pressure between the inlet I3 and the outlet IS. Therotary conveying element 2| revolves in the direction of the arrow aindicated in Fig. 2. As a compartment 43 between adjacent blades 20registers with the opening |3 in the housing cans will fall into thecompartment. As the conveyor 2| continues to rotate in the direction ofthe arrow a the packing tip 42 on the blade will extend to a positionbeyond the blade where it will be in engagement with the innercylindrical face of the housing I2. As the blades move to a positionWhere adjacent blades will be at opposite ends of pipe 44 thecompartment 43 will thus be placed in communication with a compartment43 upon the substantially diametrically opposite side of the housing.Thus, any difference in fluid pressure or temperature between thecompartments placed in communication by the pipe 44 will be equalized.In making further description of this operation the compartments 43occurring between the discharge l6 and the opening l3 on the under sideof the shaft 23 will be designated as empty compartments, and thecompartments upon the diametrically opposite side of the shaft will bedesignated as filled compartments. Thus, it will be recognized that whenthe compartments 43 register with the discharge opening Hi the existingpressure or temperature within the retort Ill will be established withinthe registering compartment. This will be a materially differentpressure than the atmospheric pressure prevailing at the opening i3 ofthe valve, and it will be evident that there will be a tendency toestablish the prevailing pressure of the empty compartments within thefilled compartments through the pipes 44 and 45. This insures that whenthe empty compartments 43 move to register with the opening Hi thepressure therein will be the same or slightly different from atmosphericpressure and that a desirable initial temperature will be provided. Itwill also be assured that when the compartments 43 move to register withthe opening IS the registering compartment will have a prevailingpressure or temperature substantially that existing within the retortII]. This will prevent any sudden change in pressure or temperaturebeing exerted upon the products being carried into the retort, and willinsure that the problem of maintaining the valve fluid-tight will bereduced to a minimum, and that there will not be any appreciablepressure or temperature loss when the compartments 43 are placed incommunication with the atmosphere.

It will thus be seen that the structure here disclosed provides a valvestructure of simple design which may be readily and effectively packed,will not readily leak due to wear of the parts and will permit productsto be introduced into a zone of pressure or temperature differing fromatmospheric pressure and temperature without pressure or heat loss.

It is to be understood that the valves here shown may be mounted atvarious other points and in various other positions than those shown inthe drawing.

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention as now known tome, it will be understood that various changes may be made incombination, construction and arrangement of parts by those skilled inthe art, without departing from the spirit of my invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A valve structure of the character described comprising asubstantially cylindrical housing having induction and eduction openingsat points in the circumferential wall thereof, a rotary conveyingelement circumscribed by the housing, said conveying element having acentral hub and radial blades thereon extending from the hub to thecylindrical wall of the housing, a shaft disposed. concentrically ofsaid housing and upon which the conveying element is mounted, end platesfor said conveyor, said end plates fitting over the opposite ends of thecylindrical housing and forming a closure therefor, each of said platesbeing formed with circumferential flanges for overlapping the side wallof the housing and limiting the inner movement of the plates whereby theplates will form a circumferential seal with the inner face of thehousing and the ends thereof, the end plates being formed with centralopenings through which the shaft extends, circumferentially disposedannular binding bands embracing the marginal flanges of the conveyor endplates and abutting against the housing whereby a seal will be createdtherebetween, and packing means disposed between the end faces of thehousing and the faces of the flanges disposed on the conveyor endplates.

2. Same as 1, adding the following: and means for tightening thepacking.

3. Same as 1, adding the followin said packing means being in the formof an annular ring disposed between the end plates of the rotaryconveyor and the end faces of the housing,

' arcuate pressure elements bearing against the

